Something huge is happening this month for the EV world
What is the next big thing for batteries? It’s “Recycling” it.
September 20, 2020
Tesla has confirmed that ‘Battery Day’ will be held in Fremont, California on September 22. The highly-anticipated event will be held in person on Tuesday, September 22 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time and live-streamed from the meeting venue at 45500 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538.
Tesla is currently working on a secret skunkworks lab for the design of its own next-generation cell technology as part of Project Roadrunner. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has noted in the past that tours of a cell production facility would be given on Battery Day, which could very well take place at this new R&D facility.
Tesla’s Project Roadrunner is expected to usher in a new generation of batteries that would widen the gap between the electric car maker and its rivals in the EV industry. To accomplish this goal, Tesla has been acquiring companies whose technologies would allow it to develop and produce the best batteries on the market, bar none. One of these companies, SilLion, could very well have developed innovations that would make Teslas, and in turn, EVs, inevitable.
Elon Musk stated on Twitter that what really matters in batteries is the cathode and anode material. Musk added that while there are numerous choices available, nickel cathodes and carbon silicon anodes really work great. This is right in line with SilLion’s work. Back in 2017, the company outlined the results of its work on batteries, which, interestingly, is focused on high-loading silicon anodes and nickel-rich cathodes.
According to SilLion, it has manufactured early 2.5 Ah prototypes of its battery cells that are capable of achieving greater than 300 Wh/kg, a prerequisite step to ensure that the company’s tech could be inserted into the markets. What’s more, SilLion’s cell technology, through the utilization of lower cost materials and manufacturing capabilities, is poised to be 30% less expensive than state of the art and industry leading lithium ion batteries at the time.
As Tesla continues to drive the cost of cell production down while advancing battery technology, the idea of having 500 miles to 600 miles of range per single charge becomes clearer. Tesla is expected to reveal a million-mile battery in the September 22 meeting.
